“Not a chance.”

He shrugged as he slipped on his parka. “Hu Chang did miss the contact after our time together several years ago. But he’s more cerebral and less emotional.” He headed for the door. “We’ll have to see.”

Catherine watched the door close behind him and felt an odd sense of loss. More mental hijinks? Or was that a natural aftereffect of dealing with a man who bewildered and challenged her more than anyone she had every encountered?

Hu Chang did miss the contact after our time together several years ago, Cameron had said.

Which meant that Hu Chang had become closer to Cameron than she had imagined.

And that Hu Chang was the one who could probably answer most of her questions.

And she wanted those answers now.

She got to her feet and crossed to where Hu Chang was still kneeling by Erin.

“How is she?” she whispered as she looked down at Erin. There was a faint flush on her cheeks, and she appeared asleep. “She looks better.”

“Of course, she’s better.” He closed his leather medicine duffel. “I’ve healed everything physical I can heal. She will need rest and perhaps a little additional surgery. He was very cruel to her. Her mind will take longer, but she’s very strong.” He drew the cover higher about her throat. “And Cameron will help her. Just being with him is a healing factor for her.”

“I noticed.”

Hu Chang tilted his head, his gaze on her face. “And you do not like it.”

“No more than I like his influence on Luke.” She met his gaze. “Or you.”

“Why?”

“It frightens me. Luke is a child, and there’s reason for him to fall under Cameron’s influence. But not you, Hu Chang.”

“You have nothing to fear. Cameron and I have an understanding. He won’t break his word unless I do something that threatens his objectives.”

“What word? What objectives? I need to know more, Hu Chang. Don’t push me away. Tell me.”

He stared at her for a moment. “You are very weary. You need to rest.”

“I’m tired and pissed off, and I’m worried. I won’t be able to rest until I get rid of two of the three.”

His gaze shifted to the door. “Where did Cameron go?”

Her gaze narrowed on his face. “Why do you think I should know?”

“He was joined with you while I was working on Erin.” He smiled faintly. “I’m familiar with Cameron when he’s in the joined state. I was with him for a number of months and allowed to get to know him fairly well. He was not joined with me or Erin. Therefore, it must have been you.”

“It was,” she said curtly. “He went to meet with the villager he’d set to watch Kadmus and his men.”

“And managed to irritate you exceedingly before he left.”

“He does that very well. I think he enjoys it.”

“He enjoys you,” Hu Chang said softly. “Beware.” He rose gracefully to his feet. “But since he will be gone for a while, we will have time to talk.” He moved to the stove and sank to the floor in front of it, his legs crossed tailor fashion. “Come. Sit with me.”

She sat down beside him. “Not too close. I still stink from the hot springs.”

“Yes, you do. Ask me if I care.”

“No.” The warmth of the fire. The closeness that always bound them together. She felt herself begin to relax. “But it scares me to risk offending you. You might throw it in my face someday.”

“That is true. But it is a poor weapon and not likely to be of value.” He looked away from her and into the leaping flames in the stove. “Ask your questions, Catherine. I will answer what I know and what I consider safe for you.”

“Let’s begin with how you came to know Cameron. You never mentioned him to me.” She added ruefully, “Not that you’re ever very communicative. When did you meet him?”

“Several years ago at a monastery in Amdo Province. And I did not mention him because silence was part of the agreement I made with him. It was one of the more important demands he made. I was not to mention him or anything that I saw or experienced at the monastery.”

“Yet you’re willing to talk to me now.”

“Cameron has interfered with your life. He almost took your life. You have a right to know why.”

“What did you have to do with that monastery?”

“I had heard stories that the monks of this particular monastery had been formulating rare herbal mixtures for close to nine hundred years. I wanted to learn what they were and if I could use them in my own potions.”

“I should have known.” She shook her head. “Well, was it worth your while? Did you find a brand-new poison?”

“That was not what I was seeking.”

She stiffened. “Hu Chang…”

He nodded. “Life not death. At that time, I had not yet found the final ingredients for the potion I gave to Chen Lu to extend and reverse her cell regeneration. It was frustrating me. I thought that the monastery might be the answer.” His lips twisted. “But I couldn’t get permission to study with the monks. The monastery was completely isolated, and the lama would permit no one, not even other monks from the area, to visit it. I had to find some way to go around the lama. I was getting quite desperate.”

“I’ve never seen you desperate.”

“But it was to be such a magnificent potion. An elixir that would extend life fifty to a hundred years? It was exciting even to me. I had to get in to see if those monks had some ingredient I didn’t. I stayed there in the province and began to research a way to do it.”

“Richard Cameron?”

“Yes, I watched, I listened, and I found Cameron.” He smiled reminiscently. “Though one who was not as dedicated as I would not have been so fortunate. I just heard a word here and there about the Westerner who moved around the mountains and villages. Strange words … about a Guardian, a protector, a warrior … But those words held boundless respect and an element of fear. Then I saw him at the monastery with the lama. I saw the same respect from the lama and no fear. Most unusual from a religious figure that prestigious. Over the next weeks, I found that Cameron held a special place in the affections of the lama and those monks.”

“And you decided to use him.”

“That was not possible. I had already taken Cameron’s measure and knew that he was an extraordinary man. I knew I would have to negotiate.” He grimaced. “If I was to avoid having to plead. So I went to him as he was leaving the monastery. He was as tough and sharp as I thought he would be. It took me three days to persuade him to even consider interceding for me. On the fourth day, he started asking me questions about myself. I had no idea about his gift at that time. If I’d lied, I would not have stood a chance. I did not lie. On the fifth day, he said that he would persuade the lama to let me have access to records and the herbs the monks used … on condition.” He smiled. “And so it started.”

“What conditions?”

“You do not need to know. I will not break that promise.”

“It’s not important. Okay, let’s go on. I want to know about Richard Cameron. I was thinking about going to Langley and getting a complete dossier, but I didn’t want to upset Erin.”

“It would have been useless. There are no records on Cameron.”

“There are always records. You just have to know where to look and tap all the organizations.”

“No records. No DNA info. No fingerprints. No retina scan. Nothing. When the committee chose Cameron as Guardian, they spent a good deal of time and millions of dollars erasing his former existence. If, by any chance, he does leave anything traceable, a cleanup crew goes in immediately and takes care of it.”

“What?” Her eyes widened. “No records? That doesn’t happen.”

“Test it. When you get back to civilization, discreetly check it.”

“I will.” She latched on to the one word that might be the key. “Committee. What committee?” She thought about what Cameron had earlier told her. “When I was questioning him about what country he was working for, he said something vague about an organization. An organization would have committees.”